


The First Birthday

by happylikeafool



Series: The Godmother [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Day 1, F/F, Swan Queen Week Summer 2017, and okay also sappiness, just more silliness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-12-01 00:45:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11475057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happylikeafool/pseuds/happylikeafool
Summary: Ellie turns one, Emma sort of unintentionally invites the whole town to her birthday party, Regina bakes a cake that is basically a masterpiece. Oh and Emma finally figures out what's so important about the role of godmother.





	The First Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo...people kept asking what was so important about being The Godmother. And I hadn't really given it much thought. But then I started thinking about it. And then I couldn't stop thinking about it. And then this happened? I guess it's a sequel, or an epilogue, or an addendum, or something like that, to the original fic. And I'm still not sorry :P

Pretty much all of Storybrooke ends up getting invited to Ellie’s first birthday party because Emma isn't always so good at saying no. But also because why would she even want to say no to all of these people who love her daughter? How could she say no to giving Ellie a childhood surrounded by more love than Emma could ever have imagined, even in her wildest dreams, when she herself was a child?

 

Regina, for her part, doesn't complain when, every time Emma comes home from being out just about anywhere in the month leading up to Ellie’s birthday, the guest list grows by one, or two, or that one time a dozen, people. She just smiles knowingly, kisses Emma, and goes about revising the plans for the cake she's been designing for months. 

 

The cake ends up basically being a masterpiece. There's like twelve different tiers, and it's got delicate flowers the same shade of purple as the room Ellie now sleeps in permanently, and tiny cute little unicorns. 

 

After Ellie is done getting baby drool all over the cake in an attempt to blow out the single candle placed atop it - a feat which, in the end, requires the assistance of her big brother - they begin serving the cake. 

 

Regina places the first piece on one of the purple polka dot plates they purchased for this party and Emma adds a scoop of vanilla ice cream and holds the plate out for her dad to take. 

 

“Stop!” Snow shrieks loudly as if someone might just die if Emma hands over that piece of cake.

 

Emma freezes, mostly in surprise, as she waits for her mother to explain what on earth has gotten into her. She wonders if maybe her dad is on some kind of weird fad diet where he's not supposed to eat sugar. Although, just yesterday she saw him eat three donuts, so, on second thought, that's probably not true.

 

“Regina gets the first piece,” Snow says like that should be obvious.

 

“Ummm….why?” Emma's brow furrows because that makes exactly zero sense to her. They have like fifty guests to dole out cake to. And she's pretty sure hosts eat last is a well known, socially accepted, rule.

 

“She's still the godmother on record, since no one else was ever named,” Snow explains seriously and maybe just a little bitterly. 

 

“What?” Emma's brow doesn't unfurrow. What does her mother mean by  _ on record _ . Is there some kind of fairytale record book she doesn't know about? And what does Regina being godmother have to do with  _ anything _ ?

 

“What!” Ellie chirps happily from her place in Henry’s arms because parroting the things Emma says is her new favourite trick. “What, what, what, what,” she repeats in adorable baby drawl until Henry stops her by tickling her belly and then she’s giggling instead.

 

Emma can’t stop the fond smile she directs at her children but then she's shaking her head and looking back at her mother, “You're going to have to explain because I don't have a single clue what you're talking about.”

 

“Godmother gets the first piece of cake,” Snow says like this is a well known fact and not just completely bizarre. 

 

“Wait,” Emma looks from her mother over to Regina and then back again as things click into place, “Wait, wait, wait. Cake?  _ Cake _ ?  _ Seriously _ . Everyone wanted to be Ellie’s godmother because of  _ cake _ ?!”

 

“Not just  _ any _ cake,” Leroy supplies like he thinks he’s being helpful, “ _ Regina’s _ cake.”

 

Emma is still just bewildered. She doesn't understand why she's the only one who seems to think this is insane. And Leroy’s addition only confuses her more. “Why would you assume it would be Regina’s cake?” she frowns. 

 

“Don't be daft,” Zelena jumps in with an eye roll, “ _ Of course _ Regina was going to be making any required cakes for a child  _ you _ adopted.”

 

“Without a doubt,” Granny agrees like this is the most plainly obvious statement that could be made.

 

And then literally every person in the crowd is bobbing their head in agreement.

 

Emma just stares and stares and stares, not sure what she's supposed to say to that. “ _ Regina _ ,” Emma whines, looking over at her soon to be wife for some kind of help. 

 

Regina just laughs though, kisses Emma's cheek and takes the plate she's still holding out of her hands, “I guess I'll be taking that.” 

 

“What?” Emma sputters and watches incredulously as Regina starts to move away from the cake cutting table, calling after her, “Are you  _ seriously _ just going to go eat that cake?”

 

Regina stops, turns around and smirks, her expression far too smug, her eyes dancing in amusement, “I  _ am  _ the godmother on record." After a beat she adds, "Snow, you'll help Emma with the cake cutting, right?”

 

And Emma kind of wants to be annoyed but it's completely impossible when Regina’s looking at her like  _ that _ , or any way, really. 

 

Snow, for her part, looks bitter again, grumbling under her breath, “You should have made me godmother,” but then she slides into place beside Emma and picks up the knife and starts cutting cake without further complaint. 

 

Henry takes the next slice of cake and carries Ellie over to sit with Regina, handing his sister over to his mother and dropping into the chair beside her, immediately digging into his cake. 

 

Emma can’t seem to draw her eyes away from the family that is all hers. At least, that is, until David nudges her side.

 

He is holding out a plate with a piece of cake that he must have gotten directly from Snow because it has no ice cream on it. “Sorry,” she says, “You want ice cream?”

 

“No,” David shakes his head and then adds with a gentle smile, “Take it. Go sit with your family. Your mom and I will take care of handing out cake to everyone else.”

 

She hesitates for only a second before she smiles softly, says, “thanks dad,” and takes the plate, weaving her way slowly over to where Henry and Regina and Ellie are sitting.

 

From her place in Regina’s lap, Ellie claps happily as Emma approaches, like she’s absolutely thrilled that she is joining them, and Emma’s heart flutters happily. Although that doesn't stop her from grumbling, “I can't believe you didn't tell me about the birthday cake godmother rule,” as she drops into the seat on Regina’s other side. 

 

Regina laughs, patting Emma's knee like she's apologizing, before she says, “It's not just birthday cakes. It's _all_ celebration cakes. That means, graduation cakes, wedding cakes...”

 

Emma frowns, not sure she wants to think about their baby graduating or getting married. 

 

Regina seems to understand what Emma's expression is about because her brow crinkles too, “Yes, okay, let's not think about that.”

 

Emma shakes her head and scoops a bite of the cake, bringing it up to her mouth. And then she practically moans. It’s absolutely heavenly. Like better than she could even imagine possible. And she's not sure how she's never had cake made by Regina before. But she sort of understands now why all of those townspeople were so eager to be Ellie’s godparent. She would probably be willing to fight to get to eat  _ this _ cake without having to wait.

 

Regina is smirking knowingly at her but she says nothing, just quirks an amused eyebrow.

 

Emma takes another bite and it's just as good as the first and she sighs, “Is there anyway I can be named godmother?”

 

Regina shakes her head seriously, “No, I'm afraid not. Mothers are ineligible.”

 

“But  _ you're  _ Ellie’s mother,” Emma protests.

 

“Yes. But I found a loophole,” Regina looks smug again, so obviously pleased with herself.

 

“But I want first dibs on cake,” Emma pouts.

 

“Of course you do,” Regina laughs and then she leans over and kisses Emma.

 

And, well, Emma isn't thinking about cake anymore.  

 

Henry not so subtly clears his throat and they begrudgingly pull apart.

 

Ellie claps her hands like she's thrilled by them kissing. Or maybe she's thrilled that the kiss is over? Emma isn’t sure. Either way, she laughs, leaning over and pressing a butterfly kiss to the baby’s cheek, which makes Ellie giggle in delight. And then Emma works on finishing her cake.

 

When nearly all of the guests have cake, Henry asks eagerly, “Can Ellie have hers now?” 

 

They'd previously agreed that it would make most sense to wait until everyone was served to give Ellie hers, since people seemed to get strange joy out of watching babies smush cake in their faces.

 

Emma glances at Regina who nods and then she looks back at Henry, “Yeah, sure, kid. Why don't you go get the highchair?”

 

Henry nods and bounces up, darting towards the kitchen. 

 

Done with her own cake, Emma sets her plate in the grass and holds her hands out to take Ellie from Regina. “Are you ready for cake, Ellie? Are you ready?” She tosses Ellie in the air and catches her and Ellie giggles her sweet baby laugh. 

 

Regina laughs too from beside them and the sound of it mixes with Ellie’s giggles and it's music to Emma's ears. 

 

Emma tosses and catches Ellie again and then presses soft kisses to her cheek. “You're going to love it. Yes you are. Mommy made it and it's the best cake in the whole world. The entire town thinks so. They've all shown up today to have some.” She's not sure where that last thought comes from but it tumbles out before she can stop it.

 

“ _ Emma _ ,” Regina sighs softly, suddenly serious, like she knows that Emma is only half kidding. She waits for Emma to look over at her to say, “You  _ know _ that my cake isn't the only reason people are here today. Or the only reason there was so much interest in the role of Ellie’s godparent.” 

 

Emma tilts her head curiously, uncertainly.

 

“Everyone in this town loves you.” Regina says it like that should be clear to Emma but also like she knows that it isn't. “Honestly. Because, let me tell you, no one in this town was  _ ever _ clamoring to be Henry’s godparent. And that would have also come with first rights to cakes made by me.”

 

Emma is pretty sure that that might have more to do with the fact that everyone was cursed when Henry was adopted, so no one knew about the weird cake rule, but she thinks better of saying  _ that _ . 

 

Regina shakes her head like she knows what Emma is thinking anyway but then she smiles oh so very fondly, “Zelena is right, you know. Sometimes you're quite daft.”

 

“Oh shut up,” Emma grumbles but she's smiling now. She knows that Regina is probably right. That the godparent thing probably isn't  _ just _ about cake. Although, she suspects in Snow’s case it might be. Why else would her mother want to be godmother when she was already grandmother?

 

Regina reaches over and tucks stray hair behind Emma's ear with so much tenderness. It's a gesture that says just as much as words could and Emma’s heart does the fluttering thing it sometimes does when she's really happy.

 

“Mama, mama, mama,” Ellie jabbers, breaking the spell that has fallen over them, and she tugs at the necklace around Emma's neck, maybe to get her attention, or maybe for no reason at all.

 

“Careful,” Emma murmurs gently, prying little fingers away from the necklace. She is still smiling though and she kisses the top of her daughter’s head.

 

Emma looks from Ellie to Regina, and then her eyes drift around their backyard, where nearly all of Storybrooke is ambling about, chatting happily and eating cake. She spots Henry coming back out of the kitchen with the highchair and he smiles over at her and she suddenly feels overwhelmed.

 

The truth is, sometimes, in moments like this, her heart feels so full that she worries it might explode. Sometimes it feels completely inconceivable that she managed to go from completely alone in the world to  _ this _ . To surrounded by so many people who she loves and who love her in return. To having two children and a soon to be wife who are her everything. 

 

She swallows thickly, forcing down the lump in her throat, and tries to push away the overwhelming emotions by stage whispering to Ellie, “Don't tell mommy I said so because it will go to her head...but her cake really is the best you'll ever taste.”

 

Regina makes a disapproving tsking sound but when Emma looks over at her, her eyes are filled with so much fondness and so much love, and she must have some idea what Emma was thinking a minute ago because she whispers tenderly, “I love you.”

 

“I love you,” Emma whispers back. 

 

And then Henry is in front of them and he's taking Ellie from Emma and Ellie is squealing in delight as he carries her towards her highchair.

 

And Regina stands, helping Emma up, lacing their fingers together as they trail behind their children through the crowd of people who love cake but who also love  _ them _ . 

 

And Emma’s heart doesn't explode but it feels like it might.


End file.
